Reporters Are Pests
by Starsinger
Summary: No, really, they are. Just ask the crew of the Enterprise!


**Reporters Are Pests**

by Starsinger

**Someone wrote that Spock was going to visit Kirk and trying his darndest to avoid reporters. The crew are doing their best to be nice to the press, and deflect attention away from Kirk and Bones in the hospital. Unfortunately, reporters are pests. There are references to several stories, including "A Funny Thing Happened In Med Bay". I recommend it, it's very funny! Don't own them.**

"Commander! Commander, how does it feel to be the hero who stopped Khan!" Spock had been hearing this for hours. He and Bones had accompanied Jim's cryotube to the hospital in Zurich only to have Spock called back to San Francisco to answer questions. The questions from Starfleet were easy, the civilians, not so much.

"I'm not a hero, madam, I was just doing my job," Spock replied.

"But, we heard that you captured him after he seriously injured your Captain. Is that true?" One asked.

"While the Captain was injured he is currently receiving the best of care in a Starfleet facility," he said with a sigh. He needed to get back to the ship.

"We had a report that James Kirk is, in fact, dead! Is that true!"

"Last time I saw him he was not dead," Spock replied. Not exactly a lie, life support was doing its job. "If you'll excuse me, I have a ship in dry-dock I need to oversee." The questions persisted, but the young Vulcan headed toward a transporter pad. The blessed silence of the Enterprise engulfed him as a crewmember welcomed him back. Spock headed to his quarters for sleep and news.

"Jim's heart is beating without support, Spock. His brain functions seem intact, but we won't know until he wakes up, **if** he wakes up."

When the crew went to visit Jim, they transported directly to Zurich's hospital. Each knew the press would eventually catch wind of Jim's condition and where he was, but they hoped that would happen after the Captain was up and about. The whole crew were hailed as heroes. "Captain of Enterprise climbs back from jail time to hero and captain of the fleet!" screamed one headline.

"Vulcan first officer rejected Vulcan Science Academy for service for the greater good!" Spock shook his head, along with, "Communications Officer has affair with Orion Slave Girl!" Uhura's picture plastered with Gaila's all over the front page. Well, they obviously couldn't get everything right.

"Enterprise Sickbay has sudden overpopulation of Tribbles. NEW HOMES NEEDED! All have been spayed AND neutered. Please contact Starfleet for more information." That explained the shovel McCoy had been employing two days earlier.

"Admiral's lost dog returned after thirty year absence!" It hadn't been thirty years since Porthos disappeared, and it had been nearly a year since the pooch found his way home. The picture of the Admiral and his dog was endearing.

It, unfortunately, did happen. The fortunate thing was that Jim had finally been weaned off life-support. The cannula sitting in his nose looked bad enough. Jim was bruised, his skin was less flaky, and less yellow, but he still looked bad. His body was still trying to fight Khan's blood. "HEROIC ENTERPRISE CAPTAIN HOVERS NEAR DEATH WHILE DOCTORS FIGHT TO KEEP HIM ALIVE!"

Starfleet put McCoy in front of the press at that point, "Captain James T Kirk entered a damaged warp core chamber on the Enterprise to affect repairs to keep the ship from crashing into the Earth. The radiation levels were so high that, even though he was successful, he expired afterwards. He was clinically dead for some time before he could be extracted from the chamber and taken to sickbay. New advances in radiation care allowed us to resuscitate him. He is in critical condition at an undisclosed location. We ask, in deference to his family, that it remain so." Zurich remained quiet, much to everyone's relief.

"Captain awakens! Ship relieved! World breathes sigh of relief!" pictures of hundreds of teenage girls holding pictures of the handsome captain at a candle light vigil flooded the papers.

Jim, lying in his propped up in bed, sighed. "Am I going to be chased around be love struck kids now?" he asked.

"That might be the other reason why they're packing us off on this mission. You won't have to run so hard. The interview is scheduled for tomorrow," Bones said. "They know to keep it short, you're still prone to falling asleep in the middle of conversations, like now." Bones shook his head as he pulled the sheets further up Jim's torso and left the room.

Starfleet simply told Jim, "Be yourself, charming, flirtatious, and amusing."

The attractive young woman who entered the room smiled easily and confidently slid into his chair, "Well, Captain, you're looking better than your last picture."

"I understand my last picture was taken while I was trying to decide to stay alive, so I certainly hope so," he reached for his water. He only needed one hand now. "Wake me up if I fall asleep, it happens apparently because I'm still recovering."

"How are you feeling?" she asked professionally.

Jim stared at his hands, "I'm alive, Khan tried his best to correct that, and succeeded for a short time. I have friends who weren't so lucky and I miss them." His voice broke off as a lump came to his throat.

"Rear Admiral Pike?" she asked gently.

"Yes, Chris, he was a mentor, and a father in many ways. I'd be in a far different place now if I hadn't met him." Jim smiled as the photographer took a picture of him.

The reporter picked up the book sitting on the nightstand, a yellow bookmark indicating where the reader had stopped, she opened the book to a random page, "It's a far, far better thing I do than I've ever done before. A far better resting place than I ever knew. A bit of light reading here, Captain. What made you pick up Dickens?"

"My Communications Chief has been reading me a chapter every time she's here. I love to read and I love books, she shares that adoration. She and Spock are a good fit. You want the story of the hero of San Francisco. I'm not it. We all did what we had to do, and all we can hope is that history is kind. In a couple of more weeks I'll leave this place and venture back into space. It's what I do, to seek out that which has not been found, by us anyway. With any luck, we'll come back in one piece. We will rebuild, we will live, we will GO ON."

"You're scheduled to speak at the Memorial Service in a few weeks. Will you include that in your speech?"

He looked at her thoughtfully, "I just might."

After a few more questions the reporter and photographer left. Kirk heard her make an odd statement, "Thanks for the Tribble, Doctor."

"Tribble?" Jim asked Bones.

"Don't ask, Jim, please, don't ask.


End file.
